ed Shirts: No conclusion on PM’s road map, awaiting coalition parties, Democrats’ reaction

BANGKOK, May 4 (TNA) – The key leader of Thailand’s anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Tuesday said the group still has no conclusion on a road map for national reconciliation proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, saying it is waiting for reactions from the ruling party and its coalition partners.

UDD leader Natthawut Saikua made his comments as the public is awaiting the Red Shirt’s response after the premier, in a nationally televised address Monday night, proposed a roadmap for national reconciliation to end the ongoing political crisis and setting a general election for November 14.

As the reconciliation plan was announced, the Red Shirt leaders showed an initial positive response and said they would discuss the group’s common position and reveal it before Tuesday noon.

Mr Natthawut, however, said the meeting of protest leaders agreed to wait and see whether the Democrat Party and other coalition parties will announce their positions over the timeframe of the House dissolution and the fresh elections in the same direction as the premier’s.

The UDD core leader claimed that recently the Democrat and coalition parties have never showed their clear stance on the issue. If possible, the prime minister should hold a joint news conference with the coalition partners this afternoon.

If there’s clearer stance from the Democrat and the coalitions, said the UDD leader, the Red Shirt leaders will meet again this evening to set the group’s position.

When asked about the proposal regarding the legal action against the protest leaders, Mr Natthawut said the matter has not been raised as the position from the coalition and Democrat parties are considered important.

Mr Natthawut reiterated the proposed reconciliation plan of the premier conformed with that of the UDD leaders, which is to end the conflict peacefully.

The Red leader also denied reports that some Red Shirt leaders already feel discouraged from their marathon rally at Ratchaprasong intersection and wanted to withdraw from the movement.

The Red Shirt key leader dismissed the report as groundless and that all leaders are ready to continue the protest.

The Red Shirt protesters began their anti-government protest March 14 demanding the prime minister dissolve the House within 15 days.

As their demand has not been met and two rounds of talks between the UDD leaders and the government ended inconclusively, the protest leaders intensified their campaign by moving the protest site to Bangkok’s prime commercial area at Ratchaprasong intersection early April. (TNA)